KROQ’s Helpful Honda Sound Space popped up at The Spotlight in Hollywood for a unique evening with electro house legends Justice.
On Monday, March 3 in the middle of Hollywood, a slew of music industry insiders and a few lucky fans gathered at The Spotlight to see iconic French electro house duo Justice perform on a stage smaller than a living room couch. To round it out, the night kicked off with Ed Banger Records founder Busy P and KROQ‘s very own Miles The DJ on the decks.
Electronic music and festival culture are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, and the alternative music radio station embraces this evolution. Back in October, it launched KROQ/EQ, a weekly radio show showcasing “festival favorites alongside KROQ legends.”
EQ is hosted by KROQ’s Music Director, Miles The DJ (real name Miles Anzaldo) on 106.7 FM. At 11pm every Saturday, it hits the airwaves with celebrated artists like LP Giobbi, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Fred again.., and more.
Just days ahead of their private DJ set with KROQ, Justice’s “Neverender” with Tame Impala reached the #1 slot on alternative radio during February 23 through March 1. They seemed like the natural choice to welcome the launch of KROQ/EQ. KROQ “had an eye on Justice” for a while, relayed Anzaldo, describing how the station supported the duo on the air and interviewed them at Coachella in 2024. He reminisced on spinning the duo’s first track “Neverender” off their latest album HYPERDRAMA last summer. “It’s such a vibey, summery SoCal record,” he said.
Another KROQ crew member explained that the Helpful Honda Sound Space is usually held at a private sound stage. But this time was different and new. When solidifying performance details with KROQ, Justice suggested that the Helpful Honda Sound Space be brought to The Spotlight, a real, live club in Hollywood.
Justice wanted the event to take place in its natural environment: the dancefloor. This pop-up style event was brand new for the Helpful Honda Sound Space, and everyone I spoke with seemed pleased with the execution.
In attendance was Alan Takagi, the manager of LA-based artist Drew Holly. “I discovered Justice in 2008 when a friend of mine in a fraternity put me on to them and since 2008 I’ve seen them at Lollapalooza and backstage at Coachella,” he said. “I would travel the world to go see Justice.”
By the time the duo took the stage, the volume was jacked up and the bass got heavier. The dancefloor filled quickly until it became a bit squishy to maneuver from one side to another.
The party was off to a roaring start. The crowd was stocked to the brim with insiders and longtime Justice fans. The anticipation mounted and the audience, small but mighty, cheered and gravitated closer to the stage. Even the suited security guard to the side of the stage bobbed his head to the groove. Busy P threw up a peace sign from the stage as Justice took us for a ride. Spotlight-branded bottle baskets bounced across the stage.
During the set, I met Josh, founder of mental health nonprofit When the Music Stops. “Best Monday ever,” he commented after the event on his Instagram story.
Later on, another attendee suggested that I go into the center of the dance floor for a portion of the show, because it reminded them of Woodstock in there. “You gotta go in the middle,” they said. So I did, and didn’t regret it. I got swept away by the commanding yet playful electronic symphony. I cannot overstate the intimacy of the venue.
You look up from your dancing reverie and there they are, just right there ahead of you, close enough to detect their facial expressions and subtle moves on the decks. Even before Justice took the stage, Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay were just hanging out at the table next to it.
According to one attendee’s comment on reddit, Justice’s “Short Dick Man” x “Incognito” mashup was a fan favorite. As the night got ripe, Gaspard passed a bottle of mezcal around the audience until it was empty. At the end of their set, Busy P got on the mic and said, “Los Angeles, show some love to Justice!” Fans cheered and swarmed the DJ booth, waving memorabilia to sign, handing the duo stickers, zines, artwork, and even a baseball.
Wearing his classic red flannel and a Nirvana T-shirt, Busy P (aka Pedro Winter, a DJ and former manager of Daft Punk) addressed the adoring fans in his classic French accent: “I hope you had a good night, Los Angeles. We’ll see you soon!”
KROQ is solidifying their place in the ever-evolving electronic dance music scene of Los Angeles. KROQ/EQ isn’t just a new radio show — it’s a shift in the relationship between alternative rock and dance music.
Follow KROQ/EQ:
Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube
